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HBCU Careers Magazine
42
Constructing an Effective Resume
Why is a resume so important?
Your resume helps an employer determine whether or not they want to
interview you. Employers spend an average of less than 60 seconds reviewing
any resume so it is critical that your resume is flawless and that it immediately
grabs the employer’s attention. Your resume should project a clear and
concise picture of your education, skills, experience, and achievements. In
addition, a strong resume will convey your professionalism and work ethic
as well as establish the connection between the employer’s needs and your
background.
How do I get started?
First, determine the structure that will best showcase your skills, abilities and background. The most
common resume formats are as follows.
Chronological
The chronological resume is typically used when you have strong work history. It emphasizes employment
and/or experience history, listing these elements in reverse chronological order frommost recent to least
recent.
Functional / Skill-based
The functional or skill-based resume focuses on your skills rather than on your chronological work history.
Your skills are broken down into categories that quickly communicate to employers what you can do for
them. This format is useful if you have limited employment-related experience or if you are seeking a
position in a field that is unrelated to your academic background.
Regardless of the resume format you choose, be sure to tailor your resume to fit
the position for which you are applying. In other words, your resume should be
customized so that it specifically highlights the experience and skills you have that
are relevant to the position. Your resume should also include the same keywords
that appear in the job description. This means you may need to use a slightly
different version of your resume for each position that you apply to. While this
will take some additional time and effort on your part, it is definitely worth it.
Employers will take notice when you are able to show how your skills, attributes
and background match with their specific needs.